


We're Gonna Be Okay

by CaptainAmericasBitch



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), De-Serumed Steve Rogers, Emotional Baggage, Endgame Fix-It, Fix-It, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Bucky Barnes, Healing, Hurt, Hurt Steve Rogers, Light Angst, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, POV Bucky Barnes, POV Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, SHIELD, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-02 06:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18806056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainAmericasBitch/pseuds/CaptainAmericasBitch
Summary: Steve felt stones forming onto his hand in the form of gauntlet, he felt their energy running through his body with the power of thousands of lighting bolts. He saw Thanos snapping his fingers and then tyrant's confusion and fear. If he was about to die, that was going to be worth it. He noticed Bucky fighting in the background, Tony and Carol watching him closely, Thanos' devastated look and he smiled. That was it, he thought.He snapped his fingers and fell lifelessly on the ground.





	We're Gonna Be Okay

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> Dear readers I may present you my very first fic written in English and written in this fandom. :D It's just something that came to my mind after seeing Endgame - just another possibility for Bucky and Steve to have a chance at happiness. 
> 
> Huge thanks for my one and only @olcia6060! <3
> 
> Also - you can find me on tumblr @sebastianstanxstuckystan 
> 
> I hope you're gonna enjoy this! :)

 

‘In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter,’ Steve heard Thanos monologue through pain that overcame his whole body, ‘it was never personal. But I’ll tell you now, what I’m about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet. And I'm gonna enjoy it very very much.'

 

That was just too much for Steve, he didn’t care about anything at this moment beside this planet, beside fighting against tyrant who took everything from him. He swallowed blood that clustered in his mouth, he could feel the ground trembling beneath his body, he heard Thanos’ army coming straight at him, he felt pain in every muscle, but he knew he had to do this…  _ I could do this all day _ \- bitter memory of his old self came to his mind as he got on his knees and slowly got up.

 

He saw thousands of Chitauri, Sakaarans and Outriders coming from the sky at him, his body shaking from abuse and wounds, but he ignored it and tightened the straps on his broken shield, facing Thanos’ force by himself. He knew he didn’t stand a chance, but he had to fight, he had to try… If there was life afterwards, he wouldn’t be able to live in peace with himself unless he had done everything that was in his power in this life. 

 

He carefully watched his enemies falling slowly from the sky, beautiful and breathtaking but terrifying sight and made few faltering steps towards his end. 

 

‘Cap, you hear me?’ Sudden buzz in his ear stopped him.  _ It couldn’t have been real, it couldn’t have been Sam’s voice in his ear, he must have been already dead _ , he thought. ‘Cap, it’s Sam, can you hear me?... On your left.”  He couldn’t process what was happening, when right beside him out of nowhere appeared gleaming portal and few seconds later he could see T’Challa, Shuri and Okoye coming to join him. 

 

Numerous gateways started opening one next to another, his dusted friends coming back to fight alongside him after returning from five years long vanishing disappearance. He knew his closest friends were back, but he was still looking for one more person. One person that meant everything to him. He was scanning all the people gathering all around him and there he was, marching next to this Groot guy, looking exactly like he did five years ago. His soulmate. His universe. He wanted to cry from relief, but he knew he couldn’t. They still had the battle to win, but now there was no way they could lose.  They were all together again to end this fight for good this time.

 

He took one more deep breath. 

 

'Avengers…' He pushed his right hand in front of himself to get Mjølnir, that came to him immediately. 

 

'Assemble,' Steve roared and the fight begun. 

 

***

 

He was fighting using all his power, seeing his loved one had given him new endless energy. He kept an eye on Bucky, still afraid it might have been an illusion and just in case his guy might need some help. But, like always, Buck was amazing on the battlefield, using his gun, his knifes and his vibranium arm, fighting alongside Rocket mercilessly destroying Thanos' forces with super-soldier precision. 

 

He was like deadly angel, taking down countless enemies, swinging in the right direction to avoid attacks and paying them back with lethal hits. 

 

Steve could watch him forever like that but one hard smash into his body set him right back on his track. He attacked some alien he didn't recognized, hitting powerfully with what's been left of his shield and sending it few meters back. It took him few more seconds to kill unknown enemy with lighting from Thor's hammer and then his heart stopped. 

 

Infinity gauntlet. On Thanos hand. 

 

Carol was doing her best to keep tyrant from closing his fist but that didn't seem to be enough. He knew he had to get there as soon as possible. He threw Mjølnir, holding onto it as he flew in their direction, hoping he could get there on time. It was bad. It wasn't supposed to happen, stones should have been safe far away from purple giant grape, but something must have gone terribly wrong. 

 

Everything got a bit blurry, but he got there when Thanos threw Carol away like a tag doll. Steve hit tyrant using lighting and the hammer, winning few seconds to act. There was one thing that could end it all before anybody got truly hurt. He knew he didn't stand a chance in hand to hand combat with Thanos, even with Mjølnir, so he pulled off all infinity stones from the gauntlet in one swift move and stepped back. 

 

Steve felt stones forming onto his hand in the form of gauntlet, he felt their energy running through his body with the power of thousands of lighting bolts. He saw Thanos snapping his fingers and then tyrant's confusion and fear. If he was about to die, that was going to be worth it. He noticed Bucky fighting in the background, Tony and Carol watching him closely, Thanos' devastated look and he smiled.  _ That was it _ , he thought.

 

He snapped his fingers and fell lifelessly on the ground.

 

***

 

Avengers and wakandan forces stopped fighting when all their enemies started vanishing… Exactly like half of them did five years ago. They all observed hundreds of Chitauri and Outriders dusting and becoming nothingness. 

 

Bucky was there, thankful for whoever managed to end this fight for good, praying for his friends to be okay. He spotted Steve few times on the battlefield, but they didn't come close. It felt wrong just like the fact that he couldn't see familiar blonde head among survivors. There was a rush at one place, a few people gathered on the ground and with heavy heart he turned into that direction.

 

***

 

Steve was pretty sure he'd had to be out for some time. He was slowly getting back his consciousness and remembering what had happened. He recalled taking and using infinity stones and then nothing but black space in his mind. He blinked few times before fully opening his eyes and he knew something was wrong. He couldn't breathe properly, his airways shutting down on the dusty air. He hadn't felt like that since he got the serum and it cured all his health issues. 

 

He felt severe pain in his right arm, from the fingers till clavicle, it burnt like his whole flesh was being deep fried and he was suspecting the stones might have badly damaged it. When his vision cleared a bit he recognized  Bucky, kneeling by his body and speaking inaudible to him. 

 

_ Oh, _ he thought. 

 

He realised he wasn't able to hear much beside some quiet buzz. 

 

He lift his hands in front of his eyes (free of his shield and stones) and panicked. They were tiny, just like they used to be back before he had become Captain America. His right hand looked like he had put it straight into flames. Even though every move sent impulses of stronger, unbearable pain up his arm he signed quickly to Bucky  _ 'I can't hear you' _ and dozed off again. 

 

***

 

'Is he breathing?' 

 

'Do you feel the pulse?' 

 

'He's suffocating!' 

 

'Call Fury!' 

 

'Where is this goddamn jet?!' 

 

'We have to get him into hospital!' 

 

'We have to get him out of here! Now!' 

 

'Where is Strange?' 

 

Bucky was coming close to the group of Avengers, hearing their shouting one over another and he felt more and more anxious. He couldn't lose Steve. He prayed in his mind they weren't talking about Steve. 

 

Although coming closer left no illusion. On the ground in the pile of Captain's America suit was lying small figure. Blonde, messy hair, huge bruise on one check bone, a lot of blood and tiny frame with burnt arm was lying there lifelessly and he couldn't notice any movement that could mean Steve was still with him. He pushed few people out of his way and kneeled right to Steve's head. 

 

'What happened to him?' he asked feeling tears in his eyes.

 

'He used the stones, it must have undone somehow effects of the serum…' He heard on his left brief explanation. 

 

From his position he could see that Steve was alive,  _ thank fuck _ , but he was hardly breathing just like he had used to breathe back in 30s… 

 

_ 'Is he gonna be okay?' _ , he wanted to asked but at the very same second Steve opened his eyes gasping in panic for more air. 

 

'Sweetheart, it's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay, I swear, it will. Tell me, sweetheart, what hurts you? Steve, Steve, babe, please tell me anything…' Bucky almost whined over Steve's body. Blonde lifted his arms and Bucky could see how his pupils widened in shock. 

 

Steve moved his right, wounded arm and signed with painful expression on his face that he couldn't hear anything and he lost consciousness again…

 

***

 

'Bucky we are gonna transport him into hospital, okay? Just let go of him, man…' Bucky finally heard Sam, he must have dozed off, sticking to Steve's unburnt hand. 

 

It all happened in a huge rush. Bucky had no clue how they got a jet with medics just in few minutes and how they all got into some super secret Nick Fury's base, especially that this man had been gone for five years and just came back to life. Doctors immediately started screening Steve's body, trying to determinate what exactly had happened and how could they help wounded Captain America. 

 

Bucky knew people were around him, talking, speculating but he didn't left Steve's side through any procedure. He just couldn't. He couldn't left not knowing if his best guy would gonna be okay. He just got him back again and he wouldn't be able to survive without him. 

 

***

 

After few hours in spacious hospital room, with Steve connected to numerous wires and tubes, Bucky finally was able to notice what was happening around him. There were a lot of people waiting outside, looking at them through a large window, but in the room except him and Steve, there was only Sam and nurse, who was observing Steve's life parameters the whole time. 

 

'They said he just lost the serum… But he should be okay with 21th century medicine. His arm may remain scarred, he's gotta need few adjustments but he's gonna live, you know…' 

 

Sam started talking at some point, explaining how they said they could treat Steve's old diseases with modern science, he talked and talked about amazing inhalators and meds for asthma, hearing implants, skin transplants and many, many other things, but Bucky just nodded from time to time, not entirely focused on what had been going on beside counting Steve's shallow breaths. 

 

***

 

Forty eight hours, thirty seven, more or less polite, Sam's requests to go and get some rest and nineteen coffees from various people later Bucky was still sitting in the chair by Steve's bed, still waiting for his best friend to wake up. He was tired, but he swore he wouldn't close his eyes before he was sure Steve was going to be okay.

 

When blonde finally started opening his eyes for the second time after his reckless stunt, Bucky immediately was on his feet, holding Steve's unburnt hand. 

 

'Can you hear me?' he asked softly when Steve looked like he was aware of what was happening around him. When Bucky got no answer, he signed the same question and Steve's quickly denied. 'That's okay, nothing to worry about, it's all gonna be okay' he signed again. 

 

Steve moved his hand and asked what happened to him and that got Bucky to briefly explaining what he was told - that stones had burnt the serum out of his system, that if it wasn't for the serum, Steve would have died, that they already made scans and they will treat him and he will be able to hear and live a normal life in the opposite of his parody of normal life he had back in 20th century when he couldn't deal with his asthma, scoliosis and other various health issues. Now it could all be easily treated. 

 

Steve smiled softly, visibly tired, but staying awake for as long as possible. 'Are you mad at me?' he asked after few seconds. 

 

'Steve… You could've died on me, pal… You reckless punk… !' Bucky wanted to sound angry, but he ended up sobbing into Steve's hand 'Never do that again, never Stevie, I can't lose you…' 

 

'I promise I won't' Steve signed back just before falling asleep once again. 

 

***

 

They took Steve into surgery because they wanted to put hearing implant into his skull. They wanted also to do something to help regenerate burnt skin on Steve's arm, Bucky didn't really get what exactly would they do, but everybody had agreed that would be the best option for Steve. So Bucky waited, hour by hour, anxious, terrified that something might go wrong during the surgery. 

 

When Steve was finally back with him, his arm looked much better, apparently they did have some pretty amazing possibilities to heal wounded remained agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. 

 

'Captain Rogers should get fully ability to hear like an average person, he's probably gonna take few days sleeping the worst exhaustion and then it's gonna take some time to get used to those implants, but they are gonna work, just like the meds we put together for his asthma. We also did some adjustment with his spine, so Captain shouldn't have any problems with moving. Sergeant Barnes, if you are gonna stay with Captain during his recovery we will update you with every piece of knowledge you should have while dealing with a person in Captain's condition.' Bucky got some informations from one of the doctors. 

 

Being completely honest, Bucky didn't like people in this base, he didn't trust anybody beside Sam, but Sam said everything would be okay, so he tried his best to seem grateful for all help they got. 

 

***

 

The world was a mess. After losing half of its population and then getting it all back, everything was unbalanced. Some people were reconnecting with their families, other were crying over lost of loved ones… Some didn't have a job or a place to stay anymore… Some buildings, some parts of the cities had been closed after the first snap and now people had to figure out how to come back to normal and put a life into those dusty pieces. 

 

Avengers were dealing with lost of their headquarters, but at the same time they tried to help as much as possible in communities. Preparing new life spaces, adjusting people, helping sort out governments. 

 

There was also the lost of Natasha. Avengers' soul, who was the only one who sacrificed her life in the process of getting back all vanished people. They all mourned her deeply and prepared intimate funeral that attended everybody from the team except Steve, who remained unconscious.. 

 

Another problem they all had to deal with was ecosystem - ecosystem, that was going through another shock wave. It was hard for every living creature, but they all tried their best just like Steve's tiny body fought to get back in shape. 

 

***

 

Steve woke up slowly getting used to hearing some indescribable voices in the distance. That seemed to be unreal, as he knew that he lost his all super-soldier abilities. But voices progressively became louder and clearer, his eyelids felt lighter and he finally opened his eyes. At first sharp lights blinded him, but not much later dark figure sleeping by his bed caught his eye. 

 

Bucky. 

 

Bucky was there, next to him. 

 

Steve touched his hands, intertwined on the edge of his bed and that tiny move seemed to be enough to instantly wake up his lover. Brunette's eyes fell open and his pupils widened. 

 

'Stevie…' Bucky's voice got caught in his throat. 'Stevie… Can you hear me?' he finally asked. 

 

'Of course I can, jerk' Steve signed using his unhurt hand, teasing with full of emotions Bucky. 

 

'Punk' 

 

'Your punk,' Steve's scratched voice echoed in huge room, when two men stared into each other's eyes with indescribable love. 

 

***

 

Days, then weeks passed, Steve had been getting physically better. He and Bucky came back to Brooklyn, staying in their old apartment, but somehow it all seemed wrong. Steve started distancing himself from everybody, but especially Bucky. Blonde would lock himself in his studio for hours, wouldn't answer text messages, wouldn't pick up a call…

 

Their Brooklyn apartment became a silent place except for Bucky's pleas. He would spent countless hours begging Steve to let him in, to let him help him, to let him do anything… 

 

One evening Bucky came back home from meeting with the rest of the team determined to change their situation. He couldn't stand looking at his best friend, his lover, destroying everything they built over those shaky years of war and breaking off his brainwashing. He couldn't lose Steve again and he couldn't lose him this way. Steve had always been there for him and now Bucky had to be there for Steve. 

 

He took down the lock in their bedroom's door and entered the dark room. Blonde was sitting on the edge of bed, staring blankly into the wall. 

 

'Steve… Stevie, honey, please talk to me…' Bucky begun cautiously. 'I can't stand seeing you like that. You deserve so much be...' 

 

'I deserve so much better?!' Bucky was cut out by Steve's sudden burst. 'Do I? Don't you dare telling me anything about that when you are the one who fucking deserve so much better than being stuck again with some short, pinched invalid!' 

 

'You really think I care about how you look?!' Bucky couldn't believe what he just heard. 'I loved you back then, when you looked just like that, when you were this scrawny, dumb kid, when I was terrified if you could survive another winter… I loved you knowing that it's something nobody would accept, something we could both get killed for.. And you really think I care that you no longer possess Captain's America perfect body? Really Stevie? That's what you think of me?' Bucky asked, tears flowing down his cheeks. 'I've always loved Steve Rogers, I did not fall in love with Captain America and you know that.' 

 

Bucky fell silent for moment, staring into Steve's eyes. 

 

'I was scared when I saw what those stones had done to you, I was scared you could have died, I was scared you would again have to struggle to survive… But now? With all that technology and modern medicine? You can live like a normal person, you can hear me, you don't have to struggle to breathe properly… I know you lost superhuman strength, but you know what? I'm grateful for that. I'm so fucking grateful for that, Steve. You may hate me for that, but I am. You don't have to fight anymore. You're free and nobody will except anything from you. You can rest and live your life now…'

 

'But how can you look at me, Buck? Knowing I was better, I was so much better… And now again I am just disappointing… Scarred…' Steve muttered under his breath. 

 

Bucky couldn't believe it was all about Steve's appearance. He should have known better, he was the one that never judged him, always kept on reminding him he was worth living even after being a weapon that killed so many people. After being used, being broken, tortured and wounded. 

 

'Steve… Do you care about my scars?' He simply asked. 

 

'You know, I don't.'

 

'Then why would your scars be a problem to me? They are there to remind you that you did something exceptional. You destroyed a tyrant and his army and you paid a price for that. This is just a reminder to show you how strong you are and that doesn't make you any less beautiful.' Bucky repeated the same words he once heard from Steve. 

 

'Wasn't you the one that claimed being Hydra's weapon had not make me any less? That scars on my body were testimony of my strength? Was that all a lie then?'

 

He saw Steve struggling with himself, trying to hold everything in himself and failing once tears started to fall from his eyes. 

 

'It wasn't… I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, Buck…', in a matter of seconds both men became  gathering of tangled limbs when Bucky kneeled on the bed, taking Steve into his arms. 

 

He took Steve's head into his hands and wiped Steve's tears away using his thumbs. Their lips met in soft kiss. They were trying to show each other how much this meant for them and kiss became a messy spectacle full of love and tears. 

 

Steve's tiny body melted into Bucky's and both men found themselves moving to find more comfortable position. They didn't stop kissing for a second, their lips slowly dancing with each other, Steve finding himself on the top of his lover, straddling Bucky's hips. He missed this, unhurriedly making out with his partner, feeling him so close to his body, feeling loved and accepted. He missed the way he could fit into Bucky's body, hid from all the problems in Bucky's embrace. 

 

Steve knew he was being stupid, he really knew he was acting without thinking. Apparently he was the one that took all the stupid with himself, but all that mattered right here, right now was that Bucky was there and that was all Steve ever wanted. 

 

_ 'We're gonna be okay' _   both of them thought as they continued making up for the lost time, getting lost in each other's bodies. There was still so many things they had to figure out, but they would do it, they had time. And they would do it together. 

**Author's Note:**

> You survived till the end?  
> Congrats! 
> 
> I'm gonna be eternally gratefull for all your feedback! :)


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